Reflecting on Tula’i Ngāue 2025
E soso’o le fau ma le fau is a Samoan alagaupu meaning “connecting the fibre to another fibre,” reminding us that unity creates strength. Just as the woven fau binds together clothing or holds up a fale, Tula’i Ngāue this year became a living example of this proverb. With the dedication of our students, the guidance of our Tuakana, and the support of mentors, staff, and community, we witnessed how each strand interwove to strengthen our kaupapa and grow the leadership of our young people.
This strengthened team delivered a successful Leadership Summit in Term 1, vibrant Village Connect nights, weekly Wednesday Māhele, our annual Ako Camp, and a Graduation that welcomed 370 attendees.
Growth was a major highlight. We began with 75 Pasifika youth and celebrated 68 graduates, demonstrating both the demand for the programme and the need for further resourcing to ensure its quality. Our Tuakana leadership team also grew, with 14 volunteers stepping up to serve.
Our 2025 Tula’i Ngaue graduation was a tremendous success, with 68 students celebrating their journey. Beyond the achievements of our graduates, the event highlighted the service and dedication of our Tuakana Vaka. In the packed crowd we witnessed heartfelt thank-yous, the passing of ula and gifts, and warm embraces of gratitude towards our Tuakana. This alone is a testament to their tautua, as they have led this year’s cohort with love, humility, grace, and respect.
Our Tuakana were a key component of the success of our programme this year. The energy and strength that they brought to serving our young people, created an example of reciprocal leadership through the Tuakana-Teine model. In addition to our 14 Tuakana, we also had 6 External Volunteer Mentors who provided another layer of guidance and leadership to our Tuakana. You can check out our 2025 Tuakana and Mentor team here. Our Mentor Jemiah teamed up with some of our Tuakana to bring a Cook Island sound to our Graduation celebration this year in line with Cook Island language week celebrations and acknowledging the strength in diversity and culture. You can see more of our graduation here.
Community Innovation shone in the second half of the programme as students, supported by Tuakana, presented six initiatives addressing community needs, including a homelessness response, study hubs, a careers expo, vaping awareness, and a goal-setting workshop.
Students also developed confidence in public speaking, teamwork, and leadership. As Junior Tuakana Tuvale Mau’u reflected, a true highlight was “seeing them grow from strangers at first and then see them all treat each other like close friends and family.”
Students rated Tula’i Ngāue 9.08/10, affirming it as a safe, empowering space. This year, we not only grew in numbers but in skills, confidence, and cultural leadership—evidence that the spirit of our ancestors continues to guide tomorrow’s Pasifika leaders.
